Gaseous fuel



Patented Dec. 22, 1942 GASEOUS FUEL Samuel Harr White, London, England, assignor,

by direct and mesne assignments, of twothirds to Albert Stuart Allen, London, England, and one-third to Byron D. Kuth No Drawing. Application October 2, 1940, Serial 3 Claims.

This invention relates to gaseous fuel more particularly intended and adapted for use with oxygen for the purpose of welding and heating metals, for the pre-heating of metals in cutting operations, for case-hardening of metals, for metal spraying, for lead burning and for the working of hard glass and the like.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a fuel for use in welding and cutting metals the said fuel consisting essentially of propane or butane or a mixture thereof containing di-ethyl ether in a proportion between 1 and 7 per cent a convenient proportion of di-ethyl ether being per cent.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved gaseous fuel which is comparatively cheap and which can be used in a manner and for similar purposes for which acetylene and hydrogen is used at high temperatures.

The present invention provides a gas adapted for use in pipe lines or in steel containers as found more convenient.

According to the present invention an improved gaseous fuel for use with oxygen is provided the said gaseous fuel containing propane or a mixture of propane and butane admixed with a proportion of ether variable from approximately 9 to approximately 12 c. f. ether to 100 c. f. propane or a mixture of propane and butane. The propane or propane and butane mixture may be admixed with the ether While in a liquid or gaseous form. The ether, when mixed in liquid form with the propane or mixture of propane and butane is miscible with the liquid propane or with propane and butane and when the gas boils off on the release from the container the proportions of the ether to the propane or propane and butane are released from the cylinder in gaseous form and supplied to a burner in the ordinary manner. The above proportions apply when the constituents are mixed or supplied to the burner in gaseous form. When mixed the proportions are approximately 16% ether by weight to 100% by weight of propane or of a propane and butane mixture, up to 21 ether by weight to 100% In Great Britain February 23,

by weight of propane or of propane and butane mixture.

It is the nature of the invention that when the gases or the gases in liquified state are mixed' I the flame propagation is reduced and the high ignition point of the gas is lowered.

It is believed that the action of the ether with the propane or propane and butane, when burned with oxygen, permits a material saving in time and oxygen required for a given work as compared to the untreated propane or propane-butane mixture and can be used in the same manner and purpose as acetylene or hydrogen.

The present invention contemplates the use of ordinary commercial or ethyl ether, but it should be clearly understood that methyl or synthetic ethyl or methyl ethers may be used or any desired mixture thereof.

It has been ascertained that lesser proportions than contemplated by the present invention are ineffective for the purposes mentioned while larger proportions than the maximum specified herein provide no additional advantages. It should be clearly understood that the proportions given by volume and the proportions given by weight have as a resultant mixture approximately the same proportions of the constituent gases.

What I claim is:

l. A gaseous fuel for use with oxygen in a blow pipe in a manner and for a purpose similar to that for which acetylene or hydrogen is used in application to metals, the said gaseous fuel containing a member of the group consisting of propane and butane mixed in a liquid state with not materially less than 16% ether by weight to not materially more than 21 of ether by weight.

2. A gaseous fuel as defined in claim 1, in which the mixture is in a gaseous state.

3. A gaseous fuel as defined in claim 1, in which the mixture is in a liquid state.

SAMUEL HARRY WHITE. 

